Columbia Fire Department responds to trench rescue, July 6

On Monday, July 6, at 4:01 p.m., Columbia Fire Department (CFD) companies were dispatched to a technical rescue at the City of Columbia Landfill in the 5700 block of Peabody Road.

After arriving at the landfill, CFD companies were led to the incident scene by City of Columbia Solid Waste employees. They made contact with the patient at approximately 4:12 p.m. Firefighters found a tractor pulling a hydroseeder that had slid into an approximately 24-foot-deep trench. The operator was ejected from the hydroseeder and came to rest approximately 16 feet below grade in the open excavation.

After locating the patient, crews quickly assessed the scene, stabilized the area and began to deploy trench rescue equipment with a focus on establishing a safe operational environment. Firefighters accessed the patient from a safe location, performed a medical evaluation and prepared for an extremely technical trench rescue operation.

Despite sustaining significant injuries, the patient managed to reach an area outside the trench with the help of firefighters.

The patient was transferred to awaiting EMS personnel for transport to a local hospital. Throughout the incident, crews maintained a strong focus on scene safety, hazard mitigation and coordinated operations. The professionalism, technical expertise and teamwork demonstrated by all personnel resulted in a safe and successful outcome for both the patient and responders.

Although the incident was resolved without the need for an expanded complex trench rescue, firefighters were fully prepared to implement advanced trench rescue operations had conditions required it.

City of Columbia Vision
Columbia is the best place for everyone to live, work, learn and play.

City of Columbia Mission
To serve the public equitably through democratic, transparent and efficient government.